Alecto is in a prime position to keep you updated on the new pathway as Director, Martina Stanley represents the Recruitment Industry on the committee that is currently looking at this issue: Specialist IMG Pathway Advisory Group.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Medical Board of Australia have made significant strides in developing the Expedited Specialist Pathway for Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs). This initiative aims to address Australia’s growing healthcare demands by streamlining the process for internationally trained specialists to gain registration, ensuring they can contribute quickly and effectively to the medical workforce.
Key Goals of the Pathway
The primary objective of the Expedited Specialist Pathway is to attract more well-qualified Specialist IMGs to Australia, making the registration process quicker and less cumbersome while maintaining high safety and quality standards. Specifically, it focuses on priority specialties such as general practice, anaesthesia, obstetrics & gynaecology, and psychiatry. These fields have been identified as critical areas needing additional support to meet the medical needs of the Australian population.
Significant Progress to Date
AHPRA and the Medical Board have made substantial progress, with the pathway set for implementation between October and December 2024.
What does this mean for GPs?
This definitely will make it easier for GPs with substantially comparable qualifications, to enter Australia more quickly and easily. The time to become job-ready should be reduced from 12 months to about 3 or 4 months.
This pathway is also likely to be much cheaper than the current alternative on the PEP Specialist pathway.
What are the key steps in the pathway?
Specialist IMGs will be able to complete a self-assessment and, if eligible, enter the expedited process, which includes the following key steps:
- Ability to gain Specialist Registration (with conditions) easily
- A period of supervised practice for up to six months (including orientation to the Australian healthcare system, and cultural safety education)
- Workplace based assessment and removal of the conditions to gain Specialist Registration without any restrictions
What we don’t know yet:
- How much will the new pathway cost?
- How long will it take for processing?
- Which qualifications will be deemed eligible for this pathway?
- What requirements will Medicare place on doctors while they have conditions on their Specialist Registration?
- As this qualification will not lead to Fellowship with a Specialist College, what disadvantages might a GP experience?
What is our recommendation to GPs considering this pathway?
What do we recommend for doctors who are ready to start coming to Australia, commence on the current PEP Specialist Pathway which is a known pathway to Fellowship. If new information becomes available once you have commenced, you are still able to switch pathways at minimal cost.
We do not recommend delaying plans in anticipation of the new pathway as there are still many ‘unknowns’ when it comes to implementation. Our extensive experience with policy changes in Australia suggests that it can take some time for the ‘wrinkles’ to be ironed out when there are such significant changes being made.
We will keep you updated as soon as there is clearer information available. Email us at [email protected]
Latest: Insights from AHPRA update on the 1st of October
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended as general advice only and may not be applicable to your specific situation. The details about the Expedited Specialist Pathway are based on current developments, and these may be subject to change. We recommend consulting with a qualified professional or regulatory body, such as AHPRA or the Medical Board of Australia, for detailed and personalized advice. Alecto Australia does not take responsibility for any decisions made based on the information provided here.